Poor Little Allison

The Struggle to Survive a Loved One's Murder

Allison Martin was murdered in 1978, at the age of nineteen. For many years, the police and books attributed her death—falsely—to Henry Lee Lucas, who at one time claimed to have killed over 600 people. It was later found that his confessions were used to close numerous unsolved murders, and it is probable that he killed three, not hundreds. This book details Jory Ames, Allison’s best friend growing up in Alaska, and her search for answers to what happened to Allison, as well as understanding the effects the murder of Allison had on her own relationships and outlook and spirit. Jory researched serial killers, interviewed police, and talked with counselors as she sought answers. Through writing, she tried to find a way to heal. The text includes a combination of flashbacks, narratives, research, dialogues and experiences as the author tries to understand what happened to Allison, and to herself.